Pokémon and Happy Asmara team up to take dangdut to a global audience

Indonesia’s creative economy ministry is backing a new collaboration between Japanese entertainment giant The Pokémon Company and singer Happy Asmara, positioning the partnership as an example of how global intellectual property can help elevate local music culture to international audiences.

The collaboration centres on the launch of the music video ‘Kopi Dangdut – ver. Goyang HEPIKA’, unveiled during a press conference at MGP Space SCBD in Jakarta on 19 May. The initiative also marks Pokémon’s first collaboration with the dangdut genre.

Speaking at the event, Indonesia’s vice minister of creative economy Irene Umar said partnerships between international IP holders and local creative talent could strengthen the visibility of Indonesian culture abroad.

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“Pokémon is an international IP with significant global influence, while dangdut is a very strong representation of Indonesia’s musical identity. Collaborations like this are important so that our local culture can gain broader exposure on the global stage,” said the vice minister.

Umar noted that Pokémon had previously collaborated with Indonesia through a partnership with Garuda Indonesia featuring a batik-themed Pikachu aircraft concept. She said the latest collaboration with Happy Asmara represented another effort to reinterpret Indonesian cultural identity through globally recognised entertainment properties.

“Previously, Pokémon helped introduce batik to a wider audience, and now we want to strengthen the exposure of dangdut as part of Indonesian culture. The hope is that more local talents will have the opportunity to grow and reach the global stage,” added Umar.

For Pokémon, the campaign forms part of a broader localisation strategy aimed at embedding the brand more closely within Indonesian popular culture.

Susumu Fukunaga, corporate officer of Asia business division at The Pokémon Company, said dangdut’s broad cross-generational appeal aligned with Pokémon’s entertainment positioning.

“This collaboration marks Pokémon’s first project with the dangdut music genre as part of our effort to create experiences that are closer to the daily lives of Indonesian people. Through this collaboration, we also want to introduce Indonesian dangdut to a wider audience,” said Fukunaga.

The campaign also reflects how brands and entertainment companies are using culturally specific collaborations to drive relevance in Southeast Asian markets, particularly among younger audiences who consume both global franchises and local music culture simultaneously.

Happy Asmara described the partnership as a personal and professional milestone, noting her familiarity with Pokémon since childhood.

“Who would have thought Pokémon and dangdut could come together like this. For me, this has been a very memorable experience because I’ve followed Pokémon since I was a child. I hope this song and music video can bring happiness to everyone who enjoys it,” she said.

The music video has been released through Happy Asmara’s official YouTube channel, while the track is also available across streaming platforms. Originally written by Fahmi Shahab, the song was rearranged by Tyo Adrian with a more contemporary production style while retaining its traditional dangdut elements.

Beyond the music release, the collaboration includes a wider social media push under the hashtag #HEPIKA, alongside exclusive merchandise such as the Happy Bareng Pikachu Plush Key Chain. The Pokémon Company also announced that Happy Asmara would join the Indonesian voice cast for Pokémon Horizon: Season 3 – Asa Mengangkasa, scheduled for release in 2026.

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